School and county officials disagree about the burden that can be placed on the school district under state law. The dispute has threatened to delay the planning and the construction of new schools.

In the lawsuit, school officials say they are responsible for “only those improvements which are adjacent to or immediately abutting the school site.” They note that the county recently has attempted to make the district pay for a larger share.

But the School Board is not asking a judge to make the county pay. It merely wants a declaration clarifying the district’s responsibility under law.

School Board attorney Tom Gonzalez said the county has 60 days to respond. He expects it will take the courts several months to resolve the issue. Read the lawsuit here: Download countylawsuit.doc

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Gradebook features education articles and insights on schools in Florida, focusing on Tampa Bay area schools. What's the latest from the Florida Department of Education? How is the FCAT being used to compare Florida schools? What's going on in Tampa Bay schools? Get an insider's view from the Times education reporting team.